US Amb. Stephens praises Korean food

U.S. Ambassador to Seoul Kathleen Stephens, one of the popular American ambassadors to Koreans to date, has highly praised Korean food on TV. She revealed her opinion about the Korean food and restaurants in an interview with CNN at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, Thursday.

"There are so many places to eat here. I think it's almost a shame to go to the same place time after time," Stephens said.

The Korean food lover is also well known for enjoying riding a bicycle. In the interview, she recommended the Han River, Namsan and Bukak skyway as the places to go on a bicycle trip. "I found, somewhat to my surprise, that Korea is a great place to ride bikes," she said.

Before working as ambassador from September 2008, she was a Peace Corps volunteer in Yesan, South Chungcheong Province, from 1975 to 1977. It was then that she learned Korean language and was given her Korean name Shim Eung-yeong.

"It was truly a great honor working as the American ambassador to Korea," she said in Korean fluently. "I was deeply moved by how welcoming the Korean people were. And although I am leaving soon, the Korean people will always remain in my heart."

Meanwhile, she will be replaced by Sung Kim, who currently serves as U.S. special envoy for the six-party talks. Details about the specific date for him to take the office are not decided on.